Foot measuring and recording machine



8- 4- E. J. BLISS Er A L 1,971,954

FOOT MEASURING AND RECORDING MACHINE Filed May 23, 1-950 zizivefifony a aamz a 5&0 r1753 Patented Aug. 28, 1934 FOOT MEASURING AND RECORDING MACHINE Elmer J. Bliss, Boston, and Charles E. Clarke, Winthrop, Mass., assignors tc Regal Shoe Company, Whitman, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application May 23, 1930, Serial No. 455,082

'7 Claims. (Cl. 33-3) This invention relates to amachine for fitting shoes such as is used in shoe stores to ascertain, by proper measurement of the customers foot, the size of shoe that is appropriate for the individual customer being measured.

In the United States patent to E. J. :Bliss No. 1,426,143 dated August 15, 1922, there was illustrated a mechanism for correctly ascertaining not only the length-size of the foot to be fitted,

but also the ball width of such foot in coordination with its length. Furthermore, in the Bliss Patent No. 1,745,144 dated January 28, 1930, there was shown a complete shoe fitting apparatus in which two such foot measuring machines were mounted side by side on a common platform, so

that both feet could be measured at the same time while the customer is standing up so that each foot might be measured in expanded or extended position while bearing the weight of the person.

The present invention contains an improvement by means of,,which the foot measuring mechanism, shown in the aforesaid Letters Patent, may be operated to produce a permanentrecord of the foot size measurements taken by the machine.

In general, the invention comprises, incombination with a foot support or base, length-size and width-size gauges connected with suitable indicators or pointers'movable over length-size and width-size scales, respectively said pointers being operable in their various measuring positions to mark on a size scale card properly positioned in the machine the width-size and lengthsize indications furnished by the machine. This and other features of the invention will be particularly described in the following specification and will be defined in the claims hereto annexed.

In the drawing 'is shown a simple and effective arrangement and construction embodying the principles of the present invention as applied to the type of measuring mechanism disclosed in the above-mentioned Letters Patent, in which Fig. 1 is a plan View of a single measuring machine equipped with the present improvement.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the under. part of the width-size measuring mechanism through i which thewidth-size or lateral gauges are caused 7 cent the extreme tip of theindicator armlO, but

.to move the pointer over the width-size scale.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the angular the toe igauge slide'bar 16 and may also carry a plane indicated by section line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the size-scale card on which the permanent record of the measurement is'fixed. I In the practice of this'invention according to 57.5 the specific form herein illustrated, the platform ,form gauging pressure against the opposite sides a is provided with anappropriate portion having a slightly'raised heel support 1 and back rest or gauge 2 for the reception and support of one foot to be measured. Theforward end of the platform or base a is provided with a longitudinal 50 slot having on its right hand side, as viewed in Fig. 1, a foot-size scale and on itsleft hand side a stocking-size scale similar to that shown in the Bliss Patent No. 1,426,143. Along and above this slot travels an upraised toe gauge 3, which can be shifted to come into light contact with the tip of the great toe. Y

The side gauges ,4 and 5 are forwardlyflared or inclined at predetermined angles, as explained in the aforesaid Bliss patent, to give correct width measurements in association with the ball length ofrthe foot. These movable width gauges are supported, respectively, by brackets or carriers 4 and 5 which have perforated ears sliding on-a fixed track bar 6 to permit each gauge to be adjusted into proper gauging contact with the adjacent side of the interposed foot. The gauges are normally drawn toward each other by a tensioning spring 7, so as to bring them with a uniof the ball of the foot.

One of these side gauges 5 is provided with an outward extension or car 8, in which is mounted a vertical rock spindle or rock shaft 9, to whose upper end is secured'the indicator. arm 10. To the .underside of this rock shaft 9 is secured a link *llhaving pivotal connection through a connecting link 12 with the bracket 4*, of the opposite gauge member, so that as the gauges are opened apart orseparated from each other the indicator:

arm 10 travels outwardly over the width-size scale, which is marked ,on a horizontal table or shelf 7 13 that is also secured to thegauge member 5 and moves transversely therewith.

The longitudinally-movable toe gauge 3 is proyided with a lateral arm 15, to which is secured .a rearwardly extending rod 16 that passes through a'horizontal opening in ,the ear 8 and also through f a horizontal opening in an ear or boss '17, that is integral with the rear end of the table or plate 13,-

on whi'chtable orplate is marked not only the width-size' scale in somewhatarcuateform adjaalso carries a foot-size scale along one side of 10 stocking-size gauge on the opposite side'of said bar.

- The toe gauge slide bar 16carries in appropriate relationship to the longitudinal scales on'the scale plate'13' apointed plunger 19, which is normally I I raised by a compressed spring 20 but which can be pressed down to indent or perforate an underneath card placed on the scale plate 13.

In similar fashion the outer orfree end of the indicator'arm l hasa pointed plunger 22 nor- 7 mally raised by a'compression spring 23, which can be forced down to perforate or indent an underneath size-recording card.

To facilitate perforation of the card, the plate 13 isprovided with a shallow .groove or slot 2 I right hand one indicating foot-sizes, the left hand one. indicating stocking-sizes. .It also bears, a

printed width-size scale in the rear right hand corner which, when the card is positioned on the scale plate or shelf 13, coincides with the Widthsize scale "marked on the plate 13. M The side igaug'es will be positioned according to the ball width of theinterposed foot and the distance of the ball of the footfrom the heel stupor gauge 2, 'The toe 'gauge'is then moved into gauging contact with the'tip of the great toe while the length-size pointer 19 'partakes of this same rr'io v ement, whereby the length-size marking po in ter 1 9 positionedon the two-longitudinal scales in the same relationship as isthe toe gauge 011 "the scales at th'e front end of the foot supporting platfornror base. i

The side all es likewise are adjusted to gauging c tact with opposite'sides of the ball portion separation the width-indicating arm 10 v is moved across 'the'printed width scale'on the recording whieh has beeninserted beneath the two inai irig pointers, so that'the length-size and the w idthfsize indicationscan be read'on the card.

to perforate or indent therecord card'30, thus afiording a per nanent marking or indication on thecard of'the correct measurements of the foot.

This card may be removed and placed on file I with the name of the customer and a fresh card rer tual measurement of the foot being measured.

It will be'noti ced that thismachine operates to directly-"translate the length andithe width "gauging positionsof the gauges directly into readingsin terms of standard foot-size or'shoe- 'size measuring symbols, since not only does the V length-size scale on thecard; consist of the lengthr offthe foot andthen consult .a table of dimension j; al measurements and directions tozascertaln what a particular size-marked shoe in stock;corresponds* size numerals in consecutive order properly spaced apart, but the width-size readings designated by the width indicatihg recording pointer as it moves over the card alsogives directwidth-size readings more common letters, orltheless commonly used corresponding numerals. This is veryimportant I because if merely a parallel'ruled chart be used to count the number of spaces across; the .width to: the actual dimensional measurement for any predetermined lengthlof foot. Thisiiiivolves' time,

mental operations and large chances of error 1 wh'i'chfare eliminated by a measuring and recording machine that recor'dshin terms of 1- theiactual size marlin'gs'on the shoes in stock'the size'me'as- "by "one for "said "iaterauv movable width 'gaugesjand' a poi'ntefmouhtednn said connect "able with'said iii dib'atiiig' seam longitudinally movable slide jcordance Withthegauging positionof the toe l. e in'the standard width-size symbols, whether the urements of the foot. For example, if a foot of 7C size is being measured, the reading on the scale card will be 7C. This is due to the fact that the opposed independently movable width gauges are interconnected with an indicating and recording pointer on one of these gauges that is movable over the scale card also mounted on that same gauge member, so that the width gauges will indicate the proper width-size reading in correlation with the particular length of foot being measured, which reading is the direct designation of some particular size of shoe in stock.

' v A sis well known to those familiar with shoe fitting, the samewidth-size symbols indicate difierent actual width dimensions according to the length of the foot; that is, width-size C is onetwelfth inch Wld81' fOI a number 8 foot than it isfor anumber 'ifoot, and two-twelfths inch widerthan width-size C for a number 6 foot or a number 70 foot has the same actual dimensional 95 width as an'u'mherbl), or a number 83, all of "gauges,a'scale'plate'secured to and movable with oheofsaidwidthgaugesand having a length-size scale anua width size scale, length-indicating lbfi "and widtl'i indicatingfpointers connected, respec-' 'tively, with the "toe gauge and with the 'Width *g'aug'e's and'niovable --a1en the respective lengthh r v r U V r r I r 7 7 "size and wldth-si'zes'cal'es ohsaidplate to indi, oi the foot-and according to the'degree of their "in gaugm etiiracrwitn sam gauges.

ing liigltlldlliallyfif thefo'o't, with a longitudihally'movable 'to'egauge, laterally movable width l I v Y r 'gauges, ascaleplatepiovidedwith a length size 1 15 f While the marking pointers are in their respective "foot gaugingpositions they are pressed down le 's'ecuredto'one of 'sa'idwidth gauges, a toe uge connecting rod "mounted in be'arings caring rod and movable over the length scale on said 20 platefto iiidiate"the'-length measurement of the I v i I 'ifo'o being measured; substituted;for-measurin Qt rs, so thatthe machine directly records on the'record card the acgauge); scaleplates'ecured to and mov- Wi'dthg'auge and'c'arrying a lengthr'o'd connected withsaid toe gauge and mounted above and laterally movable "with said "widtN'fEO :g'a'uge, apointer'oi'isaidslide rod arranged'in coordination with'said'leng'th scale to indicate the size lengthi'ofthe footbeing measured in-ac- ,jwith'theftoe gauge-' and the width gauge to show size indicationsgaccordingto the foot gauging po-"l45 sitions oi said gau s, 1 i A The, combinatio wi a oot supportin base of a longitudinally movable length gauge 'andop- ;.-'pos id lwidthacalinerin g s; a h l erally, 1 movable independently of the othenascale cardI50 l. The combination with a'footsupport'extend- 1 00 provided with separate length size and width size indicating scales and mounted on one of said width calipering gauge members, recording pointers connected respectively with the length gauge and with said laterally movable gauges to be moved in correspondence with the movement of said gauges to gauging position over the respective length indicating and width indicating scales on said card, said pointers beng also movable against the card to punch a permanent indication of the length and width measurement of the foot on the card.

6. The combination with a foot support extending longitudinally of the foot, of a longitudinally movable length measuring toe gauge, width calipering gauges movable transversely of the foot independently of each other, size indicating punches interconnected respectively with the length and the width measuring gauges, a size scale card bearing separate length indicating and width indicating size scale symbols, said card being supported and positioned on one of said width gauges to locate the respective size scales in proper relation to the respective punches whereby the positioning of the gauges in measuring contact with the foot acts to position the punches in proper size recording relation to the respective size scales on said card.

7. In a machine for directly recording length and width size measurements of a foot, the combination with a foot supporting base extending.

longitudinally of the foot, of a length calipering gauge movable longitudinally of the base and width calipering gauges independently movable transversely thereof, a size marking pointer interconnected with the length gauge, another size marking pointer interconnected with both width gauges, said pointers being movable in correspondence with the movements of their respec tive gauges to size indicating positions, and a scale card bearing length and width size indicating symbols, said pointers being movable over and against the size scale card to record, in conjunction with the respective size scales on said card, permanent length and width size measurements of a foot being measured.

ELMER J. BLISS.

CHARLES E. CLARKE. 

